If your state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) had its way,
approximately 11.5 tons of anticoagulant 'restricted use' pesticide would have
been aerially dropped by helicopter on August 8.

This decision by the Hawai`i Department of Agriculture has been delayed,
but the FINAL PERMIT for this rat poison drop could be signed very soon.

The proposed drop site for the island and waters of Lehua is 18 miles away
from Kauai, and ¾ mile from the island of Ni’ihau where a native Hawaiian
subsistence community lives.

FACTS TO KNOW:

1. Lehua is a State Wildlife Sanctuary. DLNR’s proposed aerial drop
violates its own stated mission to “protect… Hawaii’s unique and limited
natural, cultural and historic resources held in public trust for current and
future generations of the people of Hawaii nei, and its visitors…”

2. DLNR has no data or research on the effects of this pesticide on whales
and dolphins (called “cetaceans”). Yet, they stated that there would be “no
significant impact” to species or the ecosystem in this anticoagulant chemical
drop.

3. DLNR is skirting the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Lehua island harbors
federally listed, endangered monk seals, green sea turtles and three species of
birds, all protected under the ESA. Rare coral systems, manta rays, dolphins,
reef fish and seabirds are found in abundance there. All would be exposed to the
poison, and all can eat poisoned prey, moving toxicity through the food
web.

4. Fishermen, tour boats, and subsistence based Ni’ihauans depend on the
pristine nature of Lehua’s waters for their lives. DLNR and other agencies have
not made any provisions or funds available for the possibility of great harm
that this aerial drop may cause to the environment and to people.

5. DLNR did this same aerial operation on Lehua in 2009 with the same
active ingredient. Not only did it fail to kill all the rodents on the island,
two whales and a large scale fish die-off followed within days of that
operation. DLNR claims that those deaths are “inconclusive.”

6. There have been only 3 aerial large scale drops of anticoagulant in
Hawaii, all followed by “inconclusive” deaths of either whales (Lehua and Mokapu
island) and feral pigs (Keauhou). In a UH assessment report, the 2009 aerial
drop has been described as “experimental.” This would also be the first
large-scale drop with a new formulation of the pesticide, which just received
its EPA label change approval on June 22, 2017.

7. There is no Lehua-specific research that even shows a level of rodent
pressure warranting an aerial drop of 11.5 tons of poison.

8. A FOIA requested document shows that this operation was instigated by a
2011 proposition from a mainland consultant with ties to Bell Labs as the
pesticide manufacturer, offering funding for the poison drop in Hawaii.

We respectfully request that you support the Native Hawaiians and other
citizens of Kaua`i and deny the Department of Agriculture's permit for the
application of any and all 'restricted use' pesticides/rodenticides on or around
the Hawaiian island of Lehua Rock. Mahalo nui loa for your kokua.